R(etired)N

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you would have read a post of mine sometime last year about several incidents where I just couldn't get my breath.   All I could do in the struggle to breathe was make this horrible whooping sound....unable to take any air in.

The most frightening experience.

I was just stepping out of the shower yesterday when I had another episode.

Once again that same  weird line of thinking surged through my brain......

Should I call 911?   Nah. No one will get here on time to save me anyway.

Where's my ventolin puffer?  One attempt and I realize that if I am not able to take a breath in - what's the point?

I try to force myself to breathe out. Nothing.  I was told by an MD I dated a dozen years back that doing so might perhaps help to counter the spasm. 

I hit my chest against the counter. Nothing.

Try to cough.  Nothing.

I finally resign myself that I will die right where I am and I should at least put on a house coat so as not to traumatize anyone coming across my lifeless body lying on the bathroom floor.

I relax, accepting what I thought was the inevitable.

Suddenly....one small breath in.

Relax! Relax! Relax!

I pretend it's not an emergency and that I really don't need oxygen.

Another breath. Then another.....intermingled with a stridor sound.

Whew.

I really wish I knew what triggers these episodes.  Nothing worse than not being able to breathe.  So far, I have come up with - nothing.

Lucky for me it only happens once every 9 years or so.....

Although, the last time was only 5 years ago....

Reactive airway??? Who knows.

If it happened more frequently, I might be inclined to look into it...

We get home from camping and there's a message from my mom on my phone.

"This is your mother calling....give me a call....I need to ask you something..."

Sounds serious.

The message was left on Friday - and here it is Sunday night. 

I tried to brush off the panic.  Wouldn't she have emailed me if it were important??

I give her a call.

"Hey mom, what's up?"

Apparently when she sat down on the couch, she forgot she tucked her knitting needles in between the seat cushion and the arm of the couch - sharp ends sticking up.

this is the way they should have been stuck into the couch...

Seems she impaled her arm with a knitting needle.*  Needless to say it bled profusely.   

After she described the injury to me - "It went in about two inches"....she tried to reassure me, "Don't worry, I took care of it....I took a couple pills from the dentist -  and it's not bleeding anymore."

So now I am curious.  "What pills?" I ask. 

Do I really want to know???

"Oh, it's just some pills the dentist gave me when I was going to get my teeth done"

"What? Did you just have something done at the dentist?"

"Well, no, I cancelled the dentist, but he had given me some antibiotics because of my hip replacement - I was supposed to take before the procedure - and after"

"Don't tell me you took the antibiotics"

"No....I didn't ....I only took two..."

"MOM! That's even worse....you never ever take antibiotics unless you take the whole course of it.  And you don't take them unless your doc says to. That's how we get our superbugs....Never mind now you don't have enough antibiotics now for when you have your dental procedure...."

*sigh*

I know I have preached the antibiotics sermon to my entire family....how could this have happened???

Mom and Dad insist on living in the middle of nowhere....too far away from any of our family to go and save them from themselves.

While I am thinking that perhaps they are soon in need of closer supervision ....mom is yelling at dad in the background...."Bill, come quick! The bear is back!! Come look!!"

they can wreck your house in less than a minute...

To me, she says " There's a small bear at our sliding glass door!"

Back to dad - "Bill! close that door!"

Right about now I am picturing a bear being let into the house, mauling my parents.

Me: "Mom, for Pete's sake, tell dad to keep the door closed.  What the.....  don't you know how dangerous those bears are???"

Mom: "Well that second one is a baby...."

Me: "Mom!!!! The babies are dangerous!! SCARE THEM OFF!!! With noise!!! LOTS of noise!!!  The mother will get angry if she sees you - and then you're toast.... there isn't any window or sliding glass door that is going to stop her....!!!!!"

Mom: "Oh no....they don't bother us....they just come and visit the compost...and the bird feeders...and leave paw prints on the windows...."

Me: "Oh for cripes sake....geezzzz mom....you know you shouldn't compost so close to the house if at all!!! That's rule number ONE!!!  No wonder they come around all the time!!! And take down those feeders!!!! Or at least move them away from the window....!"

Mom: "OK....I gotta go....[Bill! Close that door~!!] Gotta go! Bye..."

Me: "But....MOM!!!!....wait...."

*click*  Mom hangs up.

Honestly. 

I am so stressed, I think I need a propanolol.

More chest pains.

*sigh*

No point in worrying.  By the time I drive up there to their place, they'd be some bear's lunch.

Can't think about it.

It's like having kids.

Unfortunately, I never had kids....so it's all new territory to me.

Sad really.

Funny how things flip.

Mom and Dad used to be the one telling me what to do.....but, only difference is.....

I used to listen.

this is what I think of those bears... cute my butt! "Knitting needles"

*No, mom wasn't up to date with her tetanus either. I sent her for follow-up with her MD.....if she listened to me.....

An incident at the campsite reinforced my belief that people will shop around for the answer they want to hear, disregarding all "professional-type" advice - no matter how illogical that sounds.

After all,  don't most people usually shop around for the best advice about how to repair their car from the most experienced mechanics, and then turn around and get the local homeless guy on the corner to fix the car just because he advised a magical easy fix for the problem that cost only pennies?

Thought so.

I was minding my own business, in the campstore lineup waiting to purchase some easy-start campfire pods and this woman was running around the little camp store (despite it not being a fully stocked drugstore) yelling - "where's your Benzocaine" and "what! Don't you have Benzocaine??"

She attempted multiple times to interrupt the poor kid on the phone taking a reservation - while several others, including myself, patiently waited in line for their purchases.

In hopes to get her off the kid's back - and also to perhaps help her out - I asked why she needed the Benzocaine.   She replied that one of her kids cut his knee and she needed benzocaine for it.

I identified myself as an RN and suggested she just wash the cut thoroughly with soap and running water for 5 minutes using ordinary dishsoap - don't use mercurachrome, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide because it could damage healthy, healing skin - put a simple dressing on it and keep it clean.  

The kid was young enough to have his tetanus up to date, thankfully - if he was actually immunized.

I reviewed with her the parameters of what kind of an assessment would take her in to have it stitched....and then .... it happened.

Along came Joe Schmoe with his "first aid kit" telling the woman how he would fix the wound with his out-of-date-numerously-used neosporin tube harboring heaven knows what bacterial growth (yes there is an expiry date on those tubes!) from all the fingers that scooped a gob off the tip .... giving the exact opposite advice that I *just* gave the woman.

No medical background whatsoever.

Of course she listened to him  because he was the one offering the first aid kit and I don't even carry so much as a bandaid with me. 

Of course she listened to him because my instructions were much too simplistic and didn't include fancy magical concoctions carried in a decades-old first aid kit.

They both walked off together to "fix" the kid.

That's ok.  I am now so used to that. 

Daily occurance, believe it or not.

It's almost amusing....but I am getting to the point of - why bother???

Went camping this past weekend.




Brought along the little guitar my husband bought....it's just a kid's size - perfect for camping  ...and it stays in tune just long enough for one song.  

It sounds more like a ukulele than a guitar - definitely not the sound my Ovation makes....but it serves it's purpose without taking up too much room.

So we lit the fire and started singing. 

Everyone loves music.

It's funny how people are drawn to a campfire and a guitar.

I found that out back when I was fourteen, living in the 1960's and '70's  when I would take my guitar to the beach and sit around the fire playing all those songs so popular back then.

Memories.

I can remember one backpacking trip to Mexico where I performed for an hour on stage in a little out-of-the-way bar in a backstreet.   Guys were sitting on their cars on the street and hanging in the windows.  Couples got up to dance on the 10 by 10 dance floor.

Such fun!

Which brings me to this performance:



Feist.

Singing a song by Ron Sexsmith...one of the best Canadian singers/songwriters out there.

Love that music.

I know.  I promised the last post to be the final re: the Vancouver riots.

As I drive into downtown Vancouver for our non-profit society's AGM today, I will see first hand what is the City like now.

Apparently it is "back to business" except for The Bay's* boarded up windows covered with written expressions of sadness and regret from one end to the other.   Even that is coming down as replacement glass arrives today.



a small portion of the plywood "wall of love" for Vancity

 There has been quite a fallout from Wednesday night's riot. 

People's lives have essentially imploded.

Many of those in posted photos on various social media have lost their jobs, scholarships, positions of prestige in the community etc. (Fair enough)

The "mob mentality" of Wednesday night is now sweeping the Facebook community in response to the riot.  This online mob is calling for lynching - often threatening violence to the guilty parties and their families. (exposure: ok.  Threats: not ok)

Those people are no better than the rioters themselves.

Certainly there have been those who have criminal records that have been identified and "outed" and haven't gotten anywhere near the publicity that the usually "good" people have. (not that I condone what any of them have done!)

Is this because we expect this kind of behavior from those who are known criminals? Does it strike too close to home for the public to have normally peaceful citizens involved in criminal activity?

We want those responsible for the riot to go on to be productive members of society - not hardened criminals.   Having worked in the corrections system as an RN,  if these persons are put in prison - all they will learn is what those in prison will teach them.

Support shown for police with post it notes

I happen to believe that those who have no criminal background are best "rehabilitated" in the community - NOT the jails - and would benefit more from paying back all the expenses those downtown businesses and police and individuals suffered as a result of the riot.  Community service for a good number of hours and a sincere apology would also be a good idea. 

Which brings me to the point I want to make.

There are people who have apologised and are taking responsibility.

But - there is a difference between this apology and this apology. [ADDED: as I note later - she has since edited her "apology" to the type of apology she should have started out with]

The first is a young man that steps up and apologizes....and doesn't justify his actions except for a brief mention of being "swept up in the mob".

The second is a UBC student who spends most of her online "apology" giving justifications and excuses.

If you are going to apologize, the correct way is "I'm sorry" and then stop there.  Perhaps a follow-up "I will do whatever it takes to make up for what I have done and am willing to accept the consequences" would also be acceptable.

my own photo-a poster I had in the 1970s

Anything beyond that is bound to ring hollow and even negate any perceived regret expressed up to that point.  

Definitely don't harp about someone's spelling of "color vs colour" - it does nothing for your argument.  The statement about "woman can riot too" mystifies me.    Pulling the "race card" .......and pulling out "studies and social comments" and quotes from newspaper's reports on why people do these things doesn't help your case either.  Perhaps reconsider rewriting this quote from your 'apology' - " Remember, the only thing that I did was take a couple things from a store.  It’s fairly minor compared to the rest of the acts that were done."  

 [ADDED : I just looked at her page, she has now reconsidered what she said in her original posting and redacted all her "justifications". Too late though - you can find it anywhere else on the net. I have a copy, I found it so ludicrous - I knew she couldn't be naive and foolish enough to leave it up.  Unfortunately, it was too late for her.  The internet is forever.]

Justification/excuses does not an apology make.

Just apologise profusely and sound sincere.

Then shut up.

It's interesting that a 17-year-old high school student could do a better job of putting together an apology than a University student.


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* The Bay is a Canadian-wide department store.

One last word about the riot aftermath.

Yesterday hundreds of people came out to clean up downtown Vancouver.

This am, the Downtown department store severely damaged due to the riot put on a "thank you" breakfast for clean-up volunteers and those brave souls who tried to protect their stores mid-riot.

Then, this evening, a young man (17 year old) who became notorious as the guy who tried to light a police car on fire not once but twice during the riot  - made an apology on the evening news.

His dad, a surgeon, his mom - an R.N. - stand by his side.  You can hear the mom crying off camera:



The Fork in the road.

One day you google your name and up comes all your awards and accomplishments.

24 hours later you google your name and up comes more than 4 thousand links - connecting your name to the riots - and all of it bad.

Why did some choose to do the right thing and others didn't?  What brought about the vortex of violence?

These people in the riot were not all "anarchists" or "low income" people as some were trying to suggest.  Many of them were educated, middle class or well to do persons from very good homes - your average joe like you and me.

Yet, some made bad choices and some made good choices.

The Fork in the road.

It's not just a topic for Sociology classrooms.

Two writers had a great "discussion" - the whys and wherefores - in this article here.  Read it.  It's an interesting commentary on how  instant electronic communication has affected our society - even the way people riot.

It's sobering food for thought.

Lord of the Flies.

Back in 1980,  I can remember a young man that decided to do something rather than just sit back and allow cancer to take over his life.

Terry Fox.

His Mom didn't agree with what he was doing, but when she saw how determined he was....she relented to his stubborness. 

Betty Fox was a strong woman, and when her son passed away, she wanted to keep his memory alive.   She worked night and day to ensure that the legacy that her son began,  she would continue - and it would keep not only Terry Fox's memory out there....but also keep the hope and dream alive that one day cancer would be beaten.

Just last year she participated in the Olympics' closing ceremony.

Just yesterday morning , that Strong Woman, Terry Fox's mother, passed away peacefully in a hospice from complications from Diabetes. 



(song by the Cooper Brothers, one of my favorite Canadian bands from the 1970s)

I really needed a laugh today, and this fit the bill nicely:

Check it out!

Only in Canada.

19,000 Individual Canadians voluntarily signing up to clean the city after their own riot.


I am tired of that subject, so on to different news:




My chickadee family has "flown the coop" with no difficulty.

Now - back to the Eagles.

This is honestly a real photo.  Not a trashy novel cover.  Not a photoshop.

It actually happened last night.

Who would ever think to do this....right in the middle of a riot???  Or is it something else....like a rescue of an injured girl?

"Love is a Battlefield"

As for all those people that showed up in ED with tear gas exposure? They would not have been exposed if they hadn't been where they shouldn't have been.....so you should have just gone home and sucked it up.

It's not going to kill you.....if you are healthy....and more than likely, if you were out getting drunk and running around doing stupid things....you are.

Yes, I am a nurse and supposed to have compassion.

Hey, I have cared for the worst kind of criminals in the prison system - and I still stick by that opinion.  There are consequences....

When the Doc in ED was asked how could he have looked after all the difficult people that inevitably showed up in Emergency, he replied:
"I don't have to invite them for dinner, I just have to treat them..."

Already there have been some that have been ID'd on social media that have been fired as a consequence.

No surprise there.

I have already stated on here how I find good people to rent our apartments, thanks to Facebook, Linkdin, Myspace and Google. The method I use hasn't failed me yet.

The majority of Vancouverites are appalled at what happened downtown last night. There are various websites set up that allows people to send their photos in or ID anyone they know in photos.

Apparently, these people haven't caught on that FB is a pretty good place to glean info:


AND:



It is quite possible they may be contacted by the Vancouver Police very soon.

And a thumbs-up to those fans and other persons out there that are doing the right thing.

There are no words.

I am speechless.



I feel sorry for the staff at Vancouver General. They are swamped with the aftermath. There is a triage set up in their parking lot.

A stab wound was admitted. All kinds of complaints from tear gas.

And knowing what type of people are in the midst of the riot....it's not going to be fun working the ED tonite.

I think this strengthens my argument to replace all alcohol with marijuana.

All I can say is:

Boston deserved the win.

Tim Thomas was fabulous - and I was glad that the crowd gave him a huge acknowlegement when he hoisted the cup.

HOWEVER:

fires started and all the idiots taking photos....count the arms up.*

I hope the Canucks are NEVER in the finals again.

It's obvious that some people can't handle their combination of alcohol and disappointment of a loss.

I hate to say it - but VANCOUVER doesn't deserve the Canucks.

Stupidity.

immediately after the game - a car was overturned Some are young kids...where are their parents??*

It's only a small number that are creating the problem....but it only takes a few to spoil the whole event. 

Thankfully I live 100 kms from this insanity Look at all the people taking fotos rather than leaving.*

The riot squad is out and tear gas is rolling.

What I don't understand is all the people just standing around watching.....and not leaving....

I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER want to see the Stanley cup come anywhere near here again.....and if the Canucks are ever in the playoffs again.....

Well.   I don't want to be here.

It's too bad that the focus is now the riot and not The Game.



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All photos from the V*nc*uver S*n

Found this on a Philedelphia Flyer's website from last November....



It's since been altered:


Tim Thomas is a great goalie to watch.  He is amazingly good!
 
Luongo isn't as bad as the haters say.   The team wouldn't be where they are - the finals - without him.

No matter which way the cup lands....

It's been a great series.

And I don't even like hockey.....

That much.

Although the Maple Leafs haven't won since 1967- since the NHL expansion.....they are the most profitable team around.

There is a waiting list for season tickets and every home game has been sold out since 2002 despite the four decade plus losing streak.

Unlike fickle fair-weather Vancouver Canuck Fans....Leafs fans are ferociously loyal.   Snowbirds in Arizona and other parts south fill up the Stadiums when Maple Leafs are on the road.


They are the most valuable franchise in the NHL (est $505 million) and now, because the Ontario Teachers Fund is dumping their 66% stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment - of which the Toronto Maple Leafs is a part - it's up for grabs.  

Also included in the package are the Toronto Raptors NBA team, an AHL Toronto team (the Marlies) and a Soccer team and the Air Canada Center where the games are played, a major condominium project (real estate in Canada isn't in the same pickle as the USA) and 3 TV channels.

An ordinary, hockey-loving Canadian - a New Brunswick transplant in Alberta - Darren Thompson - is trying to make owning a piece of Hockey a reality to at least a million Canadians, for a $1000 apiece.   In the short space of 10 days, already there were pledges of up to 2 million dollars.

Right now, his site is down, pending consultation with lawyers, but there should be an announcement down the pike if it is judged to be feasible.

It's a long shot - but something most Canadians (not me) dream about.

Owning a Hockey Team.

It's an interesting concept, however, I would first want to know why the OTF is getting out!

I had to post this:

Gl*bal TV and their announcers supporting the Canucks in song - joining hip-hop artist Kyprios.

The song "How the West was Won" is available on iTunes and a portion of the proceeds will go to Canuck Place, which supports children with life-threatening and progressive illnesses and their families.

Good job! :)

Tiger Williams, hockey player

An aside here.

 Kyprios mentions "Tiger Williams" in the song......I saw "Tiger" (not the golfing one!) live once while volunteering at a Triathlon in the Okanagan.

He was riding past on a bike - one of the participants.

Back then, hockey players weren't as pretty - they were pretty much beat up looking guys with missing teeth and crooked noses - no protective head gear worn back then.

Tiger Williams was one of the most fierce fighters in professional hockey - an "enforcer",  breaking records for penalty minutes awarded - and still holds the most in a career at 3,966 minutes.    But - he also could deliver - scoring goals that would help keep Vancouver in the last run at the Stanley Cup in 1984.

He's also probably the only Hockey player to have published a cook book - "Done Like Dinner: Tiger in the Kitchen" (old paperback signed edition - $50!!) - with many hockey themed recipes.

I don't know if Nursing is a help or hindrance at home lately.

We see and hear of such awful things in the course of a day as a nurse, it's sometimes difficult to get worked up over what appears to be a minor symptom at home.

Love this icepack? Get it here

Last week my husband complained to me of TMJ-type pain (3/10) that radiated up onto the side of his head.  He was worried he was having a stroke.


I ask him the usual questions you ask when a person thinks they are having one.

Nada.

I told him to take a couple of ibuprofen and put ice on his head.   I also told him to stop chewing gum, for goodness sake.

I didn't hear anything more about it after that, and like most of us - when there were no further complaints,  assumed the problem was resolved.

I assumed wrong.

Last night my husband was obviously restless and when I asked him what was going on with him.....he replied that it was the same pain as before, only now there was "tingling" in his scalp and he couldn't sleep.  His CPAP wasn't helping the situation either.

"Did you put ice on it like I told you?"

"Well, no."

"Well....go and get some ice and put it on the area. If you actually do that - you might get some relief."

He goes downstairs to the kitchen.

I could hear rattling and banging doors and a crash of a dish.

He comes back in the room empty-handed.

"Where's the ice for your head?"

"I couldn't find it so I guess I can do without it.  I'll be fine. " Big *sigh*

Obviously not.

I get out of the comfortable warm bed and head for the kitchen.  My toes are freezing cold.

The sacrifices we make.

I get out a litre ziploc bag, put a half kilo of ice in it and just cover with water...press the air out and seal.  I find the cloth container expressly for such things and put the icepack in it and head back up to the bedroom.

"Here you go.  Stick it on your head where it hurts."

I snuggle back down under the covers, trying to warm up.

I hear rustling around on the other side of the bed for about another 10 minutes while he fiddles with and adjusts his CPAP over his ice pack.

Finally - Silence.

At two am I am awakened by snoring and look over to see the CPAP is off.

It takes me another 3 hours to get back to sleep.

In the morning....my husband apologises profusely....

"Thanks sooooo much honey, that ice pack really did help and I am so sorry I didn't listen to you when you first told me to use the ice ... but I didn't feel like it would help."

I am used to family not listening to me at this point.

"Oh....and honey?   Sorry about taking the CPAP off last night.  It just didn't fit very well with the ice.....but....good news I am feeling great now - right???!!!"

I yawn.

"Great, honey. Nice to hear.  I am happy for you - really - Now let me get a little more sleep."

If I was upset at the hit here, I am even more upset about the hit on Mason Raymond....also a late hit, but the difference is, although the result was a fracture of the spine for Raymond....there was no game misconduct handed out as there was in the other incident. 

Spinal fractures are just as serious as a concussion.  (and btw, they shouldn't have walked him off the ice!And the fans didn't need to taunt him like they did when he was down!) I just don't see why there weren't consequences to that hit.

And when Daniel Sedin was punched FOUR times in the face without retaliation....the ref did nothing.   Sedin kept his sense of humor and when the official stated he was going to do something about the punches Sedin reportedly replied -  "When? After the fifth punch???"

I am starting to think that the referees should have just bought a ticket to the game like the rest of the sods in the crowd if they are just going to sit back and watch and not do their job.

My grandmother could have done better.....and she's been long gone for years.... (sorry Grandma!)

Note the sign in the stands

Sheeesh. I'm starting to sound like a hockey fan......

Dissing the Refs is a longstanding Hockey tradition.  The worse the taunt the better......

One more game.

Incorporated 1886: and at that time the Population was 1000.

Panoramic view of Vancouver, wiki photo

At the first council meeting - one of the first items on the agenda was to procure 1000 acres of military reserve land from the Federal government for a park. This Park is now called "Stanley Park" - Vancouver's equivalent to Central Park in NYC.

May 28 a volunteer fire department was formed, and sixteen days later, Vancouver city was decimated by fire in 20 minutes. Up to 28 people died and one thousand wood structured buildings were obliterated.

Back then, the sidewalks were also wood, which along with the wood framed buildings, were fuel to the fast moving fire. The volunteer fire department only had buckets and shovels to work with which obviously limited their effectiveness.

The city was demolished, but not the spirit of those surviving it.

One week after the fire, a steam pump with four rolls of hose was ordered and sent from Port Moody, hauled over miles of dusty dirt roads by a team of horses.

Ten days later there was another large fire - at a fish oil plant - the firemen had to pull the fire pump to the site themselves, due to a lack of horses. They weren't able to save the building, but they were able to contain the fire and save what was left of the City...not that there was much left to save.

City hall was set up in a tent.

City of Vancouver archives photo

Vancouver city police were hired, and badges were made from USA silver dollars - one side smoothed flat and VCP engraved over top and a pin clasp soldered on the reverse side.  They needed the police to enforce the newly passed bylaws, one of which was that bicycles must limit their speed to 8 mph.

The Oppenheimer family, Jewish immigrants from Germany - via California - started a food wholesale business in a brick building they built downtown .  This building is now Bryan Adams recording studio - the oldest brick building in the city.

Personally, after living in the old 1912 brick building in the West End, I doubt that I would risk it in such an earthquake prone area.  That's just asking for trouble.

The 1886 census taken shows that men outnumbered women - 2/3 of the population were male -  the average age - 26.   Interestingly enough, in those days of census taking - there was found to be more "dressmakers"in town than any other occupation for women. 

In 1886 - "dressmaker" was the euphemism for "prostitute".....due to the sensitivities of the census takers.

Two years after the great fire, St Luke's hospital was opened by the mayor (one of the Oppenheimers) and the first Nursing School was established and run by Sister Frances Redmond.

Frances Redmond did her formal nurse/midwife training at Laval University, Quebec, and moved to Vancouver with her husband Dr. Wm Charles Redmond of the Royal Navy Reserve.  She practiced Midwifery and Nursing in the homes of her patients in the community and supervised nursing students, working from the Hospital which was then connected to St James Anglican church.

Fifteen years after it's incorporation, the population had increased to a little under 14 thousand persons.

Today, the population is almost 600K in Vancouver proper, and a little over 2 million in Metro Vancouver.

Wiki picture

My father was a journeyman carpenter and worked on many of the now-prominent buildings in Downtown Vancouver before moving to the Interior to fulfill his dream of building his own Resort....his best friend was an architect who designed many Vancouver buildings.  My father's brother was an Ironworker and worked on many of the highrises and bridges in the area.

I myself was born in the Landmark Hospital of St. Paul's in the West end - one of the very few who can say they are *actually* from Vancouver.

St Paul's Hospital wiki photo

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*Reference material for this blog taken from an article in the Sun and also the History of Metropolitan Vancouver website and the BC history of nursing website.

A reflective look at Johnny Canuck:



And a look at the introduction of the "3rd Sweater"....the hockey jersey that is the alternate to the home and away jersey that some teams adopt:



In anticipation of tomorrow's game.

He does it better than Lady Gaga:



He's also adorable.

From Katy, Texas.

Canada has sponsored the Olympics only three times in our history.

Every single time....the very next Hockey season....that same hosting city wins the Stanley Cup.

1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal -  that following Hockey season  Montreal Canadiens (the Habs) won the Stanley Cup over Boston.

1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary - The Calgary Flames win against the Habs.

2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver -  well...........Vancouver just needs to win it!!!


Do you see a theme emerging here with the Logos?

Yes, it's that "C".........

Sorry. But that "B" just won't fit in.  My brother-in-law from Boston is not going to be very happy.

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BTW:  The USA isn't immune to the Olympic effect either:

Lake Placid Olympics 1980:  New York Islanders win the Stanley Cup that next season.

It's time for some "Royal" news.

Today is Prince Philip's 90th birthday.

And, no, we don't celebrate it in Canada. 

We just recovered from celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday....well, we at least all took the day off.  Other than that....we don't really care about Queen Victoria's birthday.

Prince Philip, in case you are wondering, is the Queen of England's husband.   He is also her third cousin.

Ten years after they were married, he was declared Queen's Consort. I guess he pissed her off "royally" by having flings on the side, rumor has it,  so she got even with him by not declaring him equal to her own title, ie. "King".

Although born in Greece, his family was kicked out of the country, and his family took up residence in England - (I guess because there was no more room in Denmark* for one more royal) - where he joined the Navy.  He was 18 and Liz was 13 when they met.  She fell hopelessly in love.

But then, what do 13-year-olds know?

When Phil married Liz, and she became queen, he had to give up his day job and change his own last name - he was not even allowed to have his children take his last name.  His whole life has been spent several steps behind the queen.

I suppose the ongoing resentment from this might be part of his problem because:

He has never been known for his tact.

For instance, during the 1981 Recession, he stated:  "Everybody was saying we must have more leisure.  Now they are complaining they are unemployed".

Sounds a little like "Let them eat cake"** to me.

And, on an excursion to Canada in 1976, in response to someone asking him if he was enjoying the trip, Prince Philip said: ‘We don’t come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves.’

Well, Happy Birthday to you too and congratulations on another successful trip around the sun.

At least with his advanced age,  there is now perhaps an excuse for his missteps.


********************
*He is of Danish descent, and although born in Greece, doesn't speak the language.
**technically a misquote, as it is disputed Marie Antoinette actually said, or meant these actual words.

They can get rabid.

Although, they seem to have quieted down a little lately since the last 2 games. But- I predict that will change in the next couple days...when The Game comes back to Vancouver.

They do have their faithful followers.

The City of Kamloops' hospital - the one my Folks go to - needs a new ICU and the community needs to raise $3 million of the $11 million required to build.

So, the hospital chooses the obvious name to put to their campaign....Mark Recchi (too old to be playing - at age 43!!).

Recchi is a big supporter of everything local. There is even a road named after him. He puts his name to good causes and supports local charities. 

He even is part owner of the local Junior Hockey League Team - the Kamloops Blazers.

Unfortunately, the hospital didn't see this coming when they posted the Billboard announcing the campaign:

Vancouver vs Boston in the finals - and it is obvious who the fans of the city supports.


First this appeared:

the mysterious Canucks Jersey appears

And when that was taken down, this went up:

Mark Recchi cheering on the Canucks

And finally, when #2 attempt was removed - this went up:

Canuck's Logo and Finger added

Persistent critters, these fans.

They just can't be put down!



Oh....and remember the change in Boston Pizza's name that I mentioned a few posts back?

Tim Horton's has changed their Boston Creme Donut's name:

It's now a "Vancouver Creme" donut.

Let's look at the lineups:

Boston Bruins

3  Americans*
6 Europeans
17 Canadians, including 2 from B.C.

Vancouver Canucks

6 Americans
8 Europeans
17 Canadians, only one from B.C.


Percentage wise, the Boston team is more Canadian.   So come on guys! Please stop your fighting and chirping and poking at each other. In the end, you may one day be on the same team as that other player!

*one being the Goalie, who, btw - is very good, if I must say so myself, having been a goalie once in field hockey!!!  And I wish everyone would quit hating on Luongo....a goalie is only as good as his defensemen and forwards! Come on!

This hit tarnished this series for me.

You can see the "fencing response" or that "en garde" position that is typical for head injuries. Scientists are using the vast library of YouTube videos to research this phenomenon.

Here is a compilation video:



What it shows is an injury to the mid brain - and if precautions are not taken - will cause permanent brain damage and even perhaps death if the athlete is allowed to go back out and continue to play.

I understand hitting or "checking"   has always been "part of hockey" but....come on guys...stop chirping and hitting at each other and start playing!

I don't like boxing or Mixed Martial Arts mixed with hockey - which by the way, a former Hockey player competed in a recent competition and knocked the other guy down within 21 seconds.

Funny thing. While I was watching the head injury YouTube video...guess what ad appeared?

An advertisement for migraines.....

It seems to me, that if there is a fountain installed for the public's enjoyment at the cost of $11 million, the last thing people should be doing is using it as their public restroom.

Who is doing all this showering, defecating, urinating and washing blood off in the fountain?

They are saying that the people responsible are "frequent flyers". 

That terminology rings a bell.  Hmmm.

Maybe they are the same "frequent flyers" from this blog or this blog???

Well, you know I have been blogging about Hockey.

Not really Hockey per se....but all things around hockey.

Here is a story you have to read.  Four buddies and a trip to San Jose that rivals "The Hangover".


And - to the nurses and paramedics at Santa Clara Medical Clinic:

What with all the idiots that drift into Emergency....all you needed was one more really stupid and drunk kid arrive on your doorstep...never mind all the ensuing shennanigans.

Sincere apologies from Canada.....and hopefully he does pay his hospital bill.....

I can remember working on the Medical Unit as a brand new nurse years ago.

I recall taking care of several elderly people that had similar symptoms.....very curious grouping of symptoms.   Inexplicably they were wasting away to nothing, becoming weaker and weaker.

We were forever cleaning up their extreme diarrhea, giving medications and administering tests for an off and on fever, swollen lymph glands,  mouth ulcers and skin lesions.    Unsightly bruises spread over their bodies....  and a hacking cough wracked their skinny frames.

Then came the confusion....which made the cleanup impossible.

We looked after these patients in in an era where the medical world had no idea what we were seeing and lax about the proper disposal of needles and no such thing as universal precautions never mind standard precautions.

Once identified, retrospectively we could see that perhaps those patients we had looked after had contracted the disease from the tainted blood supply - blood transfusions given before there was screening for it.

It had spread rapidly throughout the world, striking a histrionic fear in the hearts of everyone, causing those affected to become the new pariahs of society.

Thankfully, we have come a long way since then.

To date, AIDS has killed 25 million persons.

Presently, 33 million are infected - with 2.6 new infections each year.

In our world it is now considered a chronic illness rather than a death sentence. 

Sadly, in Africa, it is not.

Perhaps it is time to concentrate on giving them at least a chance to live - in a world where women don't often have the means to protect themselves, where children are born with it due to the expense and lack of medication for their mothers and education about preventing AIDS is lagging.

It seems that there are some people who would give up a chance to attend the Stanley cup finals to attend a U2 Concert.

You have to see this.

A Hockey player from the Edmonton Oilers team was driving in Vancouver and spotted Bono hitch-hiking along the road. 

Bono had gone out for a walk and got caught in the rain, and didn't want to walk all the way back to where he was staying. 

The Hockey player recognized him and turned his truck around and picked him up - letting Bono ride in the back with his dog.

I am like Betsy - I don't have very good face-recognition capability - took the test she suggested and failed miserably - so probably would have passed him right by anyway.....never mind that I don't pick up hitch-hikers.

Anymore that is.

:)

In my Inbox, I receive Nursing Medscape news.

There has been a series published on the Nursing cap, the significance and the capping ceremony and all the hoopla around it that Nursing seems to have.

I think this is what my RN cap looked like from.  what I can remember. I never wore it professionally, and shortly thereafter gave it to my niece to play with

Just the other day they posted a series of old photos of nurses in their caps that readers had sent in...nostalgic old photos from the 70s and early 80s, and their feelings around the cap and their graduation.

My stroll down memory lane wasn't one that I would care to repeat.

The stories I read on others' blogs about their meaningful ceremony and funny but sentimental speeches with family proudly observing - almost made me wistful for a similar experience, because both my graduations - LPN and RN - were nothing like that.

As an LPN - our ceremony was brief and there was not much that was  "ceremonious" about it. 

It was held outside on the College grounds and my (and other's) parents huddled in a small group and watched (no chairs!) as we were handed our little diploma  - in a "ceremony" that was 15 minutes tops.

Nothing special done, no pinning, no cap or stripe applied.  We already arrived with our gold and green stripes - the College's colors - on our caps.

I think some of us went for coffee after, and I am sure my parents wondered why they drove the 1 hour each way for this.

I had made my own uniform - and it was (at the time) quite a modern one with a longer mid thigh tunic, fitted at the waist/flaring at the hips,  and those wide bottom-leg pants.

When I graduated from the RN program four years later, my folks declined coming to the ceremony, the last one, I am sure,  still fresh in their minds.

"We've been to two of your graduations already" they stated, "That's enough".   In their defence,  there were five of us siblings....so I suppose, after a while, the graduations did add up.

My folks weren't all that encouraging about advanced education anyway so I don't think that they realized the importance of it.  At least, to me.  I had made it entirely on my own - even though sometimes it meant I had to miss a meal or two to pay my tuition.

The RN ceremony was a little more lavish than the LPN one - and I use that word loosely.

We were the 2nd or 3rd Nursing class ever to graduate at the University - and between finishing our nursing program in December -  a whole five months before the general student body -  in addition to inexperience as to what nursing graduation ceremonies entailed -  nothing *official* was planned by the University itself.

Our ceremony took place in the University,  with their permission.

We decided to have our own ceremony separate from the University's because most of our class would be dispersed - working all over the country by the time the Spring convocation came around - and no one wanted to make a special trip back for it.

We could also then make the ceremony "our own".

Because my parents didn't want to attend another graduation, I asked my best girlfriend and her mom to be my special guests of honor.

Once again, I made my own uniform - sort of a coat dress to the knee - and slim-fitting, very much like a business dress suit.  Impractical for working, I know - but hey, I looked great - and professional!

We chose 9 roses* for each student  and we would have our caps already on - black strip already applied.

We never had formal photos taken, but the only male in our class (he didn't make it to the end) offered to take informal photos of us all.

They didn't really turn out very well so I don't really have any photos to show you.

The ceremony was short and sweet. I don't remember who the valedictorian was or what was said - if there even was something said - although I am sure there was.   I don't remember much of any it....except it all took place in the University cafeteria because that was the only place they would give us for the "unofficial" nursing ceremony. 

Not a grand venue at all.  Heaven forbid they let us use the fancy lecture forum with stage and all that they reserved strictly for the *actual* graduation!

We were called up one by one and handed our pins that we paid for.    We weren't formally "pinned" or capped, and we weren't handed our diplomas - because technically - we didn't graduate until spring,  according to the university.  

In their eyes, this ceremony didn't really *exist* - and they did not acknowledge it except only to "allow" it....

They might have handed us a blank piece of paper along with the pin as a diploma substitute. (Funny coincidence - the same thing happened at our high school graduation - except they didn't even attempt to substitute with a fake one)

We had a dance afterwards but I only was there for 1/2 hour when my girlfriend's mom started having chest pains and dizzy spells.

I spent the next 4 hours or so in Emergency with her and my best girlfriend. She was all apologetic about it...especially when it turned out to be a false alarm....but I reassured her that being there in ED with her was where I wanted to be and where I should be. 

After all, isn't this what I went to Nursing school for?

I thought it appropriate to spend my nursing graduation in the hospital....rather than at a Graduation Celebration dance.

Ironic, don't you think?

But, retrospectively,  I didn't regret it at all,  even though my BFF's mom eventually lived to be over 90 and only passed away 2 years ago. 

Today would have been her birthday.

Sure, it would have been nice to have all the pomp and ceremony that goes with graduation, feeling that it was the "highlight" of my life - accentuating the accomplishment. 

But - after the graduation - because the celebration was so minimal, there was none of the "let down" or "disappointment" of everything (meaning Nursing school) being over with.

The one thing not having a Glorious Ceremony did,  for me it accentuated the fact that the real nursing starts after the celebrations.  

Even though there is, and rightfully so,  some Significance to the ceremony itself - really, what counts is what you do after the graduation.


:)


It's all just history and one nurse's experience, for what it's worth.






*When asked "why nine roses only? Is there a significance to the number 9?" - we replied -  the money we raised for our ceremony - that's all we had enough for.  By the end of the year, we had had enough of the bake sales, car washes and the like - having to pay the entire expense of the ceremony and celebrations.....never mind study too!  After all, we were a practical bunch!

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